On Friday 28 March 2025, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar, with tremors felt across the country and as far as Bangkok, Thailand. The quake caused widespread destruction, particularly in Mandalay, where buildings collapsed and critical infrastructure was heavily damaged. It is estimated that over 7 million people live in the affected area.
Arif Noor, CARE Myanmar Country Director, said:
“All CARE staff in Myanmar are safe, but the earthquake has caused damage in Mandalay and nearby areas. This powerful quake struck a country already in crisis, with 19.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
"The response remains significantly underfunded, and this disaster has only worsened an already fragile situation. CARE and our partners are urgently assessing the damage and preparing to support affected communities.”
Promboon Panitchpakdi, Executive Director of CARE Thailand, said:
“In Bangkok, this is the first time we experienced such a strong impact from an earthquake, and it is deeply concerning; especially for densely populated urban areas. We felt the tremors clearly in Bangkok, buildings shook for several minutes, and all office staff evacuated immediately.
"The government has declared a state of emergency. Several high-rise buildings are now being inspected for structural risks. Some damage has also been reported to the expressway, and mass communication systems in Bangkok are currently disrupted. We are closely monitoring the situation across the country and are ready to provide support if needed.”
Our thoughts are with everyone impacted.
Media enquiries
For all media enquiries, please contact Zaina Alibhai on alibhai@careinternational.org
